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Meaning & use

mojo

noun·EverydayinformalAmerican

Last updated

UK/ˈməʊdʒəʊ/
US/ˈmoʊdʒoʊ/

Meanings

  1. noununcountableslang

    A personal drive or charm that makes someone feel confident, full of energy and successful.

    Grammar: Usually has no article or plural: she lost her mojo, he has mojo.

    Patterns

    • lose your mojo
    • get your mojo back
    • have mojo

    After a long break, the singer finally got her mojo back.

    He walked on stage with real mojo.

    I need a good coffee to find my mojo this morning.

  2. nouncountablespecialist

    A charm, spell or small object believed to bring magical power or luck, from African American folk belief.

    Grammar: Countable in this sense: a mojo bag, a mojo in his pocket.

    Patterns

    • a mojo bag
    • work a mojo

    Old blues songs often mention a mojo hand or mojo bag.

    She wore a small mojo around her neck for luck.

    The folklore book explains how a mojo was thought to protect its owner.

Word forms

pluralmojos

Common combinations

get your mojo back
The striker got his mojo back with two goals.
lose your mojo
I lost my mojo after the project failed.
work your mojo
The salesman worked his mojo on the customers.
creative mojo
A walk by the sea restored her creative mojo.
bring mojo
The new coach will bring some mojo to the team.

Synonyms and how they differ

charisma
Charisma is a more formal word for attractive personal power, while mojo is chattier and also covers energy and confidence.
confidence
Confidence is plain self-belief, whereas mojo adds style and a sense that things are going well.
magic
Magic suggests a special quality that others notice, while mojo is something you personally feel you have or have lost.
groove
Groove suggests a comfortable rhythm in doing something, whereas mojo is about overall drive and charm.

Opposites

self-doubtslump

Word family

mojos noun
plural, for charms or bags of charms
mojo bag noun
a small pouch of lucky items
mojo hand noun
another name for a charm bag in blues folklore

Commonly confused: mojo or mojito?

mojo vs mojito

A mojito is a cocktail made with mint and rum, not a quality of confidence.

Practice

After weeks of feeling tired and uninspired, the chef finally got her ___ back.

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